descendant of evil
by chlindsy
Summary: Harry Potter's best friend from the muggle world is also a wizard and they go to Hogwarts together. When they get there, they discover an ancient magic in his blood. r/r.
1. Chapter 1:Diagon Alley

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Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any character from the books.

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Blood that held an ancient magic ran through Damien Kailen's veins. He did not know this about himself, however. He did know that he was one happy kid. He had just received a letter from a boarding school, meaning he did not have to be bullied by Dudley Dursley anymore. And this wasn't just any school. It was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Neither he nor his parents had ever heard of this school, but as the letter was delivered by a tall, serious looking woman called Professor McGonagall who performed magic in front of their eyes, they were inclined to believe it existed. His parents, called muggles by McGonagall, still did not know what to make of this. They were going to send him there, of course, but… when he came home they would not know what he was talking about. And how would they send letters to him, when they didn't even know where it was?

The one thing Damien was dreading was telling his best friend Harry Potter about this. And, speaking of Harry, tomorrow would be his birthday. Damien smacked his head. He had forgotten to get Harry a present! He had no time left today to get Harry a present, and tomorrow he would be going to a place called Diagon Alley to get his school supplies. The only thing he could do was go to Harry's house and apologize for not having a present and then get one as soon as possible.

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_Ding-Dong_. Damien rang the doorbell to the Dursley household for the fourth time, although he didn't really expect an answer. Disheartened, he turned away. Where was Harry? Probably at batty old Mrs. Figg's. Or locked in his cupboard. Either way, it was a bad thing. Damien got into his parents car, and they drove through the streets of London to where McGonagall said the Leaky Cauldron and entrance to Diagon Alley was. Getting out, Damien said good-bye and turned towards the dingy old building that did not belong in the middle of London. He was excited and nervous. He was about to enter a whole world for the first time. And, more than ever, he wished that Harry was a wizard too, so that he would not be alone. Squaring his shoulders, he walked into the Leaky Cauldron.

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"Frog spawn, 10 sickles an ounce, they're mad."

"What's next on the list? Ah yes, dragon liver."

Damien was greeted by a wave of noise at the entrance to Diagon alley.

"Harry Potter, that's the one, shook his hand not five minutes ago!"

Damien's heart leapt at these words. Harry was here?! Harry was a wizard?!

"Get a move on sonny, yer blockin' the gateway."

Damien spun around. Standing there was a grizzled old wizard.

"S-sorry sir," he stammered.

"It's natural sonny. I understand. Did the same thing when I was a young 'un."

Damien walked into Diagon Alley, and the man pushed past him. And then he saw the store windows. The apothecary had displays of the finest snake blood and best cauldrons. Madam Malkin's had the latest fashions and finest robes. The Quidditch store had… people?

There was a large crowd in front of the Quidditch store, and Damien couldn't see what they were all crowding around. He could hear snatches of conversation, though. From what he could hear, it was a broom. What was so exciting about a broom anyway? Damien moved on, towards the building that towered above the others, Gringotts. He had been given a small brass key by McGonagall, and been told to open vault 417. He walked up to the doors and raised his hand to push them open, but they opened of their own accord. Disconcerted, but assuming that this was a normal thing in the wizarding world, he walked in. He was greeted by a creature that he assumed was a goblin, being told about them by McGonagall. Walking up to a booth, he said, "May I open vault 417 please?"

"Key?" asked the goblin at the booth.

Damien rummaged around in his pockets before finding the key and placing it onto the counter.

"Well, this seems to be fine. Grinpott, take him to his vault, 417."

"Yes sir," responded a goblin lounging in the shadows, "this way," he called over his shoulder as he walked toward a cart.

Damien and Grinpott got into the cart, and Grinpott said, "Vault 417."

The cart started moving, and after a while, Damien assumed that it was a ride that would make most people queasy. Having spent a lot of time on roller coasters, however, Damien enjoyed the ride and was slightly disappointed when the cart stopped in front of his vault. He got out and put the key in the lock. The door swung open, and he was greeted by the sight of gold coins the size of a hubcap, silver ones about half that size, and small bronze ones about the size of a quarter. The gold in the vault wasn't huge by any means, but it was respectable. Scooping up several galleons as he knew the gold ones to be called, he stepped out of the vault, and the door automatically closed and locked. Damien stepped back into the cart and was up to the surface before he knew it.

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Having bought all of his school supplies, which ranged from black robes to newt eyes, Damien was now fighting his way through the crowd of shoppers towards the underground. He had just gotten free of the last one when he heard a voice behind him.

"Damien??"

He turned and saw Harry laden with packages of the same shape as his, and an owl.

"Hey Harry. Ready for school then?"

"School?" asked Harry.

"Yeah. And when did you get your letter from Hogwarts?"

"Wait. Wait wait wait wait. You're going to Hogwarts too?"

"Yep. Got my letter yesterday."

"I got mine today. And it turns out my parents weren't killed in a car crash, and I'm famous."

"How does that work?"

And so Harry explained how his parents were killed by Lord Voldemort and how Voldemort tried to kill him, but the curse rebounded. He went on to recount how his uncle went mad, how Hagrid showed up and his trip to Diagon Alley.

"So let me get this straight. This giant of a man shows up on that little island, knocks down the door, scares your uncle witless and gives Dudley a pig's tail?"

Harry nodded and Damien roared with laughter.

"I didn't think Dudley could get any more like a pig," he wheezed, and Harry joined in the laughter.

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That night, Damien sat on his bed wondering what his new school would be like. Would it be small or big, have lots of students or not that many. As his thoughts drifted he looked out the window and noticed a figure on the windowsill. Turning on his light, Damien saw the strangest creature he had ever seen. It looked like a snake, except it had green feathers right behind its head and large, black feathered wings. It was about six feet long and had dark blue scales. It had long fangs protruding from its open mouth. These fangs were clear, allowing you to see the bright green poison inside.

"My friend," it hissed, "do not be alarmed. I am here to help you."

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	2. Chapter 2:sorting

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"Talking"

'Thinking'

'_Talking with Ssevelas'_

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'_My friend,'_ it hissed, _'do not be alarmed. I am here to help you.'_

'_Wh-who are you?' _asked Damien.

'_My name issss Sssevelasss. I am an ampithere. I ssssenssed a great power within you, and sssso I came. I wisssh to become your familiar.'_

'_I- is that like a pet?'_

'_No, my friend. Nothing like a pet. A familiar issss a friend or teacher who issss an animal. What issss your name?'_

'_I'm Damien. Damien Kailen.'_

'_Well Damien, would you like me to become your familiar?'_

'_Would I?? Definitely.'_

Ssevelas flapped his wings and soared over to the bed and landed with a soft thump.

'_We ssshall talk sssome more in the morning. It wasss a long flight.'_

He curled up at the foot of the bed like a cat would as Damien got in bed, careful not to disturb Ssevelas.

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Damien stood at the entrance to King's Cross station, unsure of what to do. His parents would be here, but they had urgent business to attend to. He scanned the crowd, looking for Harry. Damien walked slowly to the gap separating platforms 9 and 10.

'9 and ¾. 9 and ¾. 9 and ¾. How do I get to platform 9 and ¾?' Damien asked himself.

"Filthy muggles. Who do they think they are?" As Damien heard this he thought 'maybe I could ask them.'

And so he turned around and saw a tall, blond boy standing near two people who were obviously his parents. The boy looked like the mirror image of his father except for the fact that his father had long hair. His mother had the same shade of platinum blond as the rest of them.

"E-excuse me sir? I don't know how to get onto the platform," said Damien when he was close enough.

"Don't know how to get onto the platform? Tell me, boy, are you muggleborn?" came the sneering reply.

"Yes sir."

"Then go away. I will not help you"

Damien turned around, disheartened.

"Damien. Hey Damien," came Harry's voice.

"Hi Harry," said Damien, relieved his friend was here.

"So, do you know how to get onto the platform?"

"No. I asked a family, but they were no help. I'm looking for another family to ask."

"—packed with muggles of course—"

They swung around. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of him- and they had an _owl_.

Damien and Harry followed them; stopping as the family did, close enough to hear their conversation.

"Now what's the platform number?" said the boy's mother.

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mum, can't I go…"

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Damien and Harry watched, careful not to blink in case they missed it- but just as the boy reached the barrier, a crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him, and by the last of them cleared away, the boy was gone.

"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly woman you call yourself our mother? Can't you _tell_ I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called for him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone—but how had he done it? Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier—he was almost there—and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.

"Excuse me," said Harry to the plump woman.

"Hello dears," she said, "first time at Hogwarts? Ron's new too."

She pointed to the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.

"Yes," said Damien, "The thing is, we don't know how to get onto the platform."

"Don't worry. All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be afraid you'll crash, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go now, before Ron."

Damien and Harry turned and looked at the barrier. It appeared solid. Together, they walked toward then started jogging. Just when they were afraid they would crash, they closed their eyes. But instead of hitting a brick wall, they kept running. Opening their eyes, they saw a big, red steam engine in front of them as they slowed to a walk. Looking behind them they saw an iron archway with the words _Platform 9 and ¾_ above it. They pushed their carts toward the train until they found an empty compartment. They lifted their trunks onto the train one by one.

They had just gotten everything settled when they were joined by the red-haired twins from before.

"Just making sure everything's stowed properly," said one of the twins, turning away.

"What's that?" said the other, pointing to Harry's scar, "Oy, Fred look at this."

"Blimey," said Fred, "Are you—"

"He is," said the first twin, "aren't you?"

"Who?" said Harry.

"Harry Potter," chorused the twins.

"Yeah, he is," said Damien, a little annoyed at how people were gawking at his best friend.

To their relief, a voice floated through the open door.

"Fred? George?"

"Coming, Mum."

With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped of the train. Harry and Damien started talking about their summer as Ssevelas slithered out from under Damien's sleeves where he had been hiding at Damien's request. Harry, used to Ssevelas' presence, took no notice. As they talked, Ssevelas slid under the seats to catch some sleep in the shade. They barely noticed the train start moving, they were so engrossed in their conversation.

"Remember when you brought Ssev over for the first time. When Dudley saw him, he freaked," Harry was saying as youngest red-haired boy from before appeared in the doorway.

Not noticing the newcomer, Damien said, "And then he ran into a wall trying to get out."

"Excuse me. May I sit here? Everywhere else is full," said the newcomer.

"Sure," said Harry.

"I heard the twins talking about you," he said, "are you really Harry Potter?"

Harry nodded.

"So you've got—you know—the scar?"

Harry pulled up his bangs, revealing his scar.

Getting annoyed again, Damien changed the subject. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Oh. I'm Ron. Ron Weasley. And you are…"

"Damien Kailen."

"Are all you're family wizards?" asked Harry.

"I think so. Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"So you must know loads of magic already," said Damien.

"I heard you went to live with muggles," Ron said to Harry, "What are they like?"

"Well, the ones I live with are horrible. Damien's parents are really nice though. Wish I had three wizard brothers."

"Five," said Ron gloomily, "I'm the sixth to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie already left. Bill works for Gringotts as a curse-breaker in Egypt and Charlie is in Romania studying dragons. Bill was Head Boy, Charlie was Quidditch captain and now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, everyone thinks they're really funny, but they still get good grades. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they've already done it. And everything I own is one of my brothers".

"Quidditch? What's Quidditch?" Damien asked.

"Oh it's the best sport in the world," said Ron, "It's played on broomsticks, best broom in the world just came out, the Nimbus 2000—".

'So this was what everyone was crowding around in Diagon Alley. 'Just a broom??' Ha!' thought Damien.

In the next half hour, the cart carrying food came around and Harry bought several of everything. A boy called Neville also came around, looking for his toad, and then a girl named Hermione Granger looked around for it too. Damien was having the time of his life eating chocolate frogs with Ron and Harry when the compartment door swung open again, but it was neither Neville nor Hermione. The thin pale boy whose family was so rude to Damien stood there, flanked by two huge, mean-looking boys.

"They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," said Harry, still looking at the other boys.

"Oh this is Crabbe and Goyle," said the boy, noticing where Harry was looking, "and my name's Malfoy. Draco. Malfoy," saying his name like he was royalty.

Ron coughed.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need asking who you are. My father told me all the Weasley's have red hair, freckles and more children than they can afford," said Malfoy. Turning back to Harry, he held out his hand, "You'll find out some wizarding families are better than others, Potter, You don't want to make friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

Harry looked at the hand he was being offered but didn't take it.

"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks," he said coolly.

A pink ting appeared on Malfoy's cheeks.

"Unless you're a bit more careful, you'll go the same way as your parents," said Malfoy, "They didn't know what was good for them either. If you hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys, muggle-borns and that Hagrid, it'll rub off on you."

They all stood up.

"Say that again," said Ron, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh, going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Unless you get out now," said Damien.

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we boys? We've eaten all our food, but you seem to still have some."

Goyle started towards the chocolate frogs, but before he could reach them, a low hissing sound filled the air. Goyle froze and Malfoy started backwards.

"Th-there's a snake in here," he said.

Crabbe screamed and ran out the door.

"Crabbe! Crabbe come back here you coward."

But Crabbe didn't stop. Malfoy and Goyle looked back at Harry, Damien and Ron, and then followed Crabbe.

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"It's a good thing you got Ron to go ask the conductor if there's a leak in the compartment. I don't think we can trust him with Ssevelas yet," Harry whispered to Damien as they stood in the waiting room before the Sorting.

Damien was about to agree when several people screamed. Looking around, they saw that several ghosts had glided through the back wall and were now arguing. A short, round one noticed them and said, "New students! About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff. My old house you know," said the ghost.

"Move along now. The ceremony's about to start," said a sharp voice. Professor McGonagall had returned and the ghost glided through the opposite wall, "Now, form a line and follow me."

The first years did as they were told and followed McGonagall into the Great Hall. They looked in awe at the room around them. There were candles floating in midair, golden plates and platters, and the ceiling! It was covered in stars, but Hermione ruined the magic of the moment by saying, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in _Hogwarts, A History._"

They looked down again as McGonagall placed a stool and an old, ragged wizard's hat in front of the first years. Everyone looked at it, and for a few seconds there was silence.

Then, a rip near the brim opened, and the hat began to sing:

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find,_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,_

_And I can top them all._

_There's nothing hidden in you head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on, and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor, _

_Where dwell the brave of heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Thos patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a thinking cap!_

As the Sorting Hat finished its song, wild applause broke out and McGonagall stepped forward holding a list in her hand.

"Abbot, Hannah!" Will you please try on the hat," she said.

A girl stumbled out of line and put the hat on.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

Damien became lost in his thoughts, but was startled out of it when Ron groaned.

"What?" he hissed to Ron.

"That Granger girl, you know, the one that came to our compartment got sorted into Gryffindor," said Ron.

"And that's bad how?"

"Because I'm almost definitely in Gryffindor. All my family has been."

Their conversation was interrupted by McGonagall shouting, "Kailen, Damien!"

"Good luck," whispered Harry as Damien walked up to the hat.

He put it on, and it started whispering in his ears.

"Let's see, let's see," whispered the hat, "There's brains, and talent, and oho! What's this? One of The Blood eh? Well there's only one place you're going then. IRENSOUL!" shouted that hat.

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	3. Chapter 3:revelations

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"Talking"

'Thinking'

'_Talking with Ssevelas'_

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Damien was stunned. That wasn't one of the houses, was it? He took the hat off and saw the whole Hall staring at him in stunned silence. Most of it, actually. A few people were looking at one another, wondering what was happening. But most of it was just staring at him. Damien felt his cheeks flush.

"Damien. Damien, would you come here please?" said a soft voice from the High Table where the teachers.

Damien turned and saw Dumbledore beckoning to him. As he was walking to Dumbledore, he heard a voice, which he recognized as Ron's, saying, "And here I thought he was alright!"

Damien was sure similar mutterings were going on between those who had met him, for several people had dropped in on their compartment when they heard Harry Potter was in it. And then Damien felt bad for Harry. Harry would be shunned because he had been friends with him. And then anger. Hot, black anger was pouring out of Damien now. He hadn't done anything and here these people were saying he was evil, how he would kill them all, and generally, pissing him off. If someone didn't explain to him what was going on, instead of staring at him like he was something to be afraid of, then he might do the things they were saying he was going to do.

He reached Dumbledore, these thoughts whirling in his head as Dumbledore guided him into a side room behind the staff table. Damien heard footsteps behind him and saw Dumbledore and the teachers following him into the room.

Dumbledore closed the door, while asking, "Damien, did you know of this?"

"Of what, sir?" Damien replied.

"That you are descended from the Dread Lord Irensoul."

Damien shook his head, noticing that the teachers flinched when Dumbledore said Lord Irensoul, just like they did when someone said Voldemort.

There was a lengthy silence, and then Damien asked, "Who was this… Lord Irensoul?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Lord Irensoul was… IS the most vicious and powerful dark lord the world has ever seen. At the height of his power he had both the wizarding and the muggle world in the palm of his hand. Animals ruled the world, for his most feared power was his ability to talk to animals. Any animal would obey him. Oh yes," Dumbledore said gravely, seeing Damien's snort of laughter, "his most feared power. Imagine you meet a stranger who you somehow manage to anger. This stranger has the power to destroy you on the spot, of course, but he decides to let you lie for a while longer. He tells one of his 'friends', any type of animal, to follow you. You, of course, have no idea you are being followed until the stranger says 'go'. And then you start hearing things. The howl of a wolf in the middle of a city. The shrill cry of an eagle, a call that twists itself into words. And then you are confronted by that animal, when no one is around. Imagine the panic someone must have felt as the glimpsed the yellow eyes of a wolf glaring at them from every shadow. Slowly closing in on them, until all they can see is eyes and teeth, claws and fur. This was how Lord Irensoul (the teachers flinched again) dealt with his victims. Some died. Some begged for mercy and were whipped into the most effective fighting force this world has ever seen. He and his bastard army of animals and twisted men started some famous wars, such as The Crusades. These were caused when his deputy, an unknown animal, was slain by an assassination effort between Rukn ad-Din Barkiyaruq, leader of the Turkish Empire, and Godefroy de Bouillon, the French Knight who later became leader of the First Crusade. These men were tired of Irensoul's (flinch) reign, but instead of killing Irensoul, his deputy sacrificed himself to save the Lord. Angered, Irensoul twisted the men's minds so that they hated each other. Bouillon went to Pope Urban II for help, and the rest, as they say, is history. They started several other taxing wars, such as the War of the Thousand Flames. But then came the Hogwarts four. The founders of our school managed to kill Irensoul (flinch) and his servants, freeing the world before he committed even more crimes. But we are still feeling the affects of his biggest crime today. Before Irensoul came to power, the wizards and muggles lived in harmony. The muggles knew about wizards and occasionally asked for help, but generally were just happy with the wizards company. The wizards did not despise or hunt muggles and were glad to help them. But when Irensoul (you know what happens) came to power, people knew he was a wizard, and began thinking that every wizard was as evil as he was. The muggles started attacking wizards, and the wizards had to retreat, for although the wizards were more powerful, they were greatly outnumbered by muggles. They went into hiding and we have lived like that ever since, except for those who have sons or daughters that are witches or wizards."

"But what does this have to do with ME? Irensoul wasn't a Hogwarts founder, so how am I in this house that's named after him?"

"Well, we can assume that you are his descendant."

Damien gasped. "I'm his what?"

"Descendant. There was one other case like this where someone was sorted into the house 'Irensoul'. About one hundred years after Irensoul was killed, his great grandson came to the school. He was sorted into the house Irensoul, and generally was nice, if a little… disturbed at times. He married and had one son, who turned out to be a squib. We lost track of his descendants after that, but from what we can tell, you are descended from Dread Lord Irensoul."

"On that happy note," deadpanned a greasy haired teacher, "let us return to the Great Hall. I am sure the rest of the students are rather hungry and want to know what is going on."

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"… and so that's what happened." Damien told Harry.

They were sitting alone in the Gryffindor first year's dorm. Dumbledore had given Damien permission to sleep there as he didn't have a dorm. The other boys in their dorm, Ron, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan, were in the common room, and it looked like they might sleep there as long as Damien was in the dorm.

"So much has happened to us these past few weeks," said Harry.

"Yeah. 'Specially today," said Damien, yawning, "I'm tired. G'night."

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Over the next few days, Damien noticed that everyone in the school except for Harry was staying as far away from him as possible. Even the intimidating seventh year Slytherins were treating him with a sort of grudging respect that undoubtedly sprouted from the fact that he was descended from the most powerful dark lord ever. With Ssevelas' help, Damien soon was vying for top student in most classes with Hermione Granger. The few muggleborns in the school, Granger included, were the only people who didn't care about Damien being Irensoul's heir. But they didn't try to become friends with him either because their half or pureblooded friends would turn their backs on them. Granger, of course, didn't really have any friends, but she held a grudge against Damien because he had been the only person to successfully transfigure a match into a needle the first transfiguration lesson. The other Gryffindors were marginally happy about this because it awarded them 10 points, but seeing as they would have gotten the points anyway…

And at the flying lesson, Damien flew as well as Harry, but seeing as it was Harry who caught the remembrall and Damien who knocked Malfoy of his broom… Harry got to be on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, whereas Damien got detention with Hagrid in the forbidden forest.

So that was where they were now, waiting outside Hagrid's hut. Harry had come with Damien because they had heard about Hagrid's interest in magical creatures like Ssevelas, so they were going to show him to Hagrid.

"'Ello?" said Hagrid, "Oh it's you two. Come in, come in."

Walking into the room, Damien said, "Hagrid, we've got something to show you."

"Eh? What's that then?"

What Damien said next, sounded like hissing to Hagrid, but Harry could understand it as well as Damien. What he actually was saying was, _'Ssevelas, there's someone we would like you to meet.'_

'_Who?'_ hissed Ssevelas, _'And I thought that after you were named the heir, you would keep me a secret, like we agreed?'_

'_Please Ssev. It's Hagrid. We think he would like to meet you.'_

'_Fine, fine,'_ grumbled Ssevelas as he popped his head out of Damien's shirt.

'_Hello Hagrid,'_ hissed Ssevelas, although he knew that Hagrid could not understand him.

Hagrid's eyes went wide, and he mumbled something under his breath.

"What?" said Harry.

"I've always wanted to meet one of those," said Hagrid, softly.

"An ampithere?" asked Damien.

Hagrid nodded, "They're pretty rare, those."

"Ssev tells me that there are several large colonies in the South Americas. Enough to make them common down there, anyway. And Hagrid," added Damien anxiously, "please don't tell anyone, Hagrid. Not even Dumbledore."

There was a sound reason that Damien didn't want anyone, except for Hagrid and Harry, to know. Ampitheres were generally considered Dark creatures, just because they were related to snakes, and only then because Voldemort had a pet snake. If anyone, especially Damien, got seen with an Ampithere, they would be locked up on the grounds that they were the next Dark Lord.

"Not even Dumbledore?" said Hagrid, obviously wanting to tell someone.

"Not even Dumbledore." Confirmed Harry.

"Hey, who's that?" said Hagrid, pointing out the window. Sure enough, they saw a familiar figure with a mop of red hair sprinting away.

"Ron," said Harry and Damien together.

Suddenly business-like, Hagrid said, "Well we best get going on your detention, Damien. Harry, you go back up to the castle."

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End file.
